Best VPNs for Japan:

Japan is very strict when it comes to copyright protection. It also has a history of working closely with the US government, which still runs a lot of surveillance in the country. For Japanese internet users who want digital privacy, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an essential tool. A VPN allows people living in and visiting Japan to access geo-restricted websites and online services from around the globe.

Best VPN for Japan?

Below we list the five best Japan VPN services. These services have been chosen because they offer fantastic security and privacy features, have lots of server locations (All of them have Japanese servers), and provide fast speeds so you can stream content in HD. If you need more information about any of the services listed below, click through to the provider's website or check out our detailed VPN reviews.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has an incredible selection of servers, all fast enough for seamless streaming

Pricing

From $6.67 -
$12.95

Available on

Windows

macOS

iOS

Android

Linux

Unblocks

Netflix

iPlayer

ExpressVPN is not only one of the best VPNs for Japan, but one of the best, period. Stealth servers in Hong Kong are close to Japan, which is great. What’s more, those servers provide lightning fast connection speeds that are perfect for data intensive tasks such as streaming in HD.

In tests, we found ExpressVPN to be extremely reliable. It is trusted, established, has a tight privacy policy, and implements encryption to the highest standards. It also keeps no usage logs and only very few anonymous statistics to keep the service running smoothly. This makes it perfect for protecting your privacy at home, as well as on public WiFi. Customer care is fantastic and is available 24/7 via live chat.

The VPN software is easy to use and is available for all the popular platforms. It can also be used on three devices simultaneously. What’s more, it is packed with all the best features, such as a kill switch, auto-connect, and DNS leak protection. Finally, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test the service.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN has plenty of features packed into a good price range, making it a great VPN for Japan

Pricing

From $3.49 -
$11.95

Available on

Windows

macOS

iOS

Android

Unblocks

Netflix

iPlayer

NordVPN is ideal for people who want particularly strong security and privacy, whether that's in Japan or elsewhere. Encryption is implemented brilliantly, and it has top features such as VPN into Tor, double encryption, obfuscated servers, a kill switch, and Domain Name System (DNS) leak protection. It can also be used on six simultaneous connections.

Speeds are also outstanding with this VPN, which is perfect for streaming in HD. NordVPN will keep you secure both at home and on public WiFi. It is perfect for unblocking content from all over the world. Considering the price, this VPN is truly unbelievable. It runs on outstanding, easy-to-use software. Finally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test the service thoroughly.

3. Private Internet Access

PIA is one of the only provider to have proven its no logs claims, ensuring privacy in Japan

Pricing

From $2.85 -
$11.95

Available on

Windows

macOS

iOS

Android

Linux

Unblocks

Netflix

iPlayer

Private Internet Access is a zero-logs VPN that has proven those claims in court on a number of occasions. The VPN is widely regarded as secure and is often praised for this reason by Reddit users. PIA VPN implements strong OpenVPN encryption across its apps and is available for all popular platforms. The nice thing about PIA is that it comes fully featured with a broad range of advanced settings.

Encryption strength can be customized, and a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscated servers are all available. PIA VPN has servers in 33 countries, which makes it excellent for unblocking content. It is also able to unlock popular services such as Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. And thanks to its server in Japan, you can use it to gain a Japanese IP address from anywhere in the world. An excellent VPN that is perfect for gaining digital privacy online.

4. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is a secure VPN that will keep your data private from snooping ISPs and WiFi providers

Pricing

From $1.89 -
$10.95

Available on

Windows

macOS

iOS

Android

Linux

Unblocks

Netflix

iPlayer

PrivateVPN is a zero-logs Swedish provider. This includes Japan and throughout East Asia. It features both a firewall-based system kill switch and a per-app kill switch, which pretty neat. Full IPv4 and IPv6 DNS leak protection is also built-in to its client.

We have been particularly impressed by PrivateVPN’s high level of customer service, which even features remote installation for technophobes! Up to a generous 6 simultaneous devices are permitted, and port forwarding plus HTTPS and SOCKS5 proxies are a nice bonus.

With a 30-day no-quibble money-back guarantee, why not give PrivateVPN a try?

5. IPVanish

IPVanish might be based in the US, but its zero-logs policy makes it an ideal VPN for Japan

Pricing

From $3.70 -
$10.00

Available on

Windows

macOS

iOS

Android

Unblocks

Netflix

IPVanish is another fantastic VPN for Japan. It is superb because it has lightning fast servers in Japan and nearby Hong Kong. The VPN also runs on outstanding, easy-to-use software that is fully featured. Encryption is military grade. IPVanish provides our recommended protocol, OpenVPN (as do all the VPNs in this list). In addition, encryption is implemented strongly (though not quite as strongly as the two VPNs above).

IPVanish is based in the US, which isn’t ideal. However, it keeps zero logs, which definitely makes up for it. Unfortunately, customer support is only available in US working hours. Finally, it has a seven-day money-back guarantee.

How to choose a Japan VPN

there are several things to consider when choosing the right VPN for Japan, we've listed them below to help you out:

Privacy policies and encryption

The VPNs in this guide all have watertight privacy policies (logging policies) and a proven track record of providing privacy for their users. A strong logging policy, which promises that the VPN keeps no logs, means that there is no data laying around the provider's server that could later be used to see what you did online.

Encryption is an important aspect of any VPN service. Many VPNs not only have poor privacy policies but also have outdated or poorly implemented VPN encryption. The VPNs in this guide are all world-class services that have everything you need to keep your data private and secure.

Server locations

A VPN needs to have a large network of servers located all over the world. In addition, those servers must provide fast connection speeds. All the VPNs in this guide have tier-1 networks of servers spread around the world. As such, if you want to use a VPN for streaming, gaming, and doing other data-intensive tasks.

Speeds

Our recommendations all use the very best infrastructure to provide fast VPN servers. However, you can still optimize your VPN connection to get the fastest speeds available to you. If speed is your main concern, then always connect to a VPN server that is closer to you. If, for example, you want to pretend to be in the US, then select a VPN server on the west coast. This will ensure that you get the best speeds available to you.

Why do I need a VPN for Japan

A Virtual Private Network is an online subscription service that allows you to pretend to be in a different country. As soon as you connect to a VPN, it conceals your real IP address. You can select from a list of server locations to pretend to be in any of the places where the VPN has servers.

Japan is an extremely free nation with very little censorship. Despite this, the government takes a harsh stance on copyright piracy. People caught torrenting or streaming content illegally can face imprisonment, so anybody in Japan thinking about watching or torrenting pirated content should be exceptionally careful. Using a VPN for torrenting is the ideal solution. It stops ISPs and the government from being able to intercept web browsing data and communications.

Conclusion

The services that we've recommended are fast, have plenty of server locations around the globe, and can be used for data-intensive tasks such as streaming in HD. In addition, all of these VPNs have strong privacy policies and well implementedOpenVPN encryption.